Weekend meeting in Yangon to set ceasefire signing date
The government's Union Peacemaking Work Committee (UPWC) and armed ethnic organisations that agreed to sign the nationwide ceasefire agreement will hold a meeting in Yangon on October 3 or 4 to set a date for the grand signing, both sides announced.
The leaders of 18 out of 21 groups met in Chiang Mai, Thailand, from September 28 to 30. The Karen National Union, Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, Karen National Liberation Army, Pa-O National Liberation Organisation, Chin National Front, All Burma Students’ Democratic Front and the Arakan Liberation Party said they would sign the agreement.
“The government invited 15 ethnic organisations, except the Ta’ang National Liberation Army. On October 4 we will set a date for the signing. We will form a joint-committee and then sign it,” Aung Naing Oo of Myanmar Peace Centre said.
The Shan State Army said it wanted to sign the deal in Chiang Mai, despite currently being in conflict with the government, taking the total to eight.
A preliminary meeting was held by the UPWC in Yangon on September 20 to discuss the signing.
After two years of talks, in August the government recognised only 15 out of 21 organisations. Talks about the remaining groups were held last month in Nay Pyi Taw but efforts to include all groups in the signing ceremony failed.